The first destination during our Calesa tour at historical Vigan is the St. Augustine Parish Church and Bell Tower a.k.a Bantay Church Belltower.This is located in Bantay, Ilocos Sur. It was already noon at that time and we could really feel the burns on our skin but that did not stop us from exploring the two remarkable landmarks not just by taking photographs. We climbed the bell tower to the top. The Bantay belfry is located just a few meters away from the church on top of the hill and it was used as a lookout point for approaching enemies during the war. When one is on the top of the tower, you can see the beauty of the whole town and the surrounding towns from it.
The church is not part of Vigan, as Bantay is in a different town, it has been synonymous to Vigan for it’s the first landmark one can see before entering the City. It is one of the oldest churches of Ilocos Sur. The church was built in 1590 with a baroque and Gothic inspired architecture. This architectural design was influenced by the Europeans eventhough it was built under the Spanish regime and it was also built through forced labor. The church’s patron is “Our Lady of Charity”.
The Belfry is really a magnificent structure due to its baroque-gothic style as well as the church. There is no entrance fee, donation only.
Below are some of the pictures taken from this historical landmark.
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| St Augustine Church, Bantay, Ilocos Sur |
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| Bantay Bell Tower |
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| The historic bell at the tower.. |
To know more about my adventures in Vigan, Ilocos Sur, you may visit at:
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